Police: Shaking caused death of baby girl

A man is facing murder charges in connection with the death of a 7-week-old girl in Oskaloosa, authorities said.

Investigators said 24-year-old Bryan Vilcone was watching the infant, Raelynn Hart, last Thursday.

“He was a family friend, and the mom was having him care for the child,” said Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Criminal Investigation special agent Mike Motzinger.

According to a criminal complaint, when Hart’s mother arrived at 3 p.m. to pick her up, she noticed the infant wasn’t acting normally. The mother rushed the child to a Mahaska County hospital.

“Oskaloosa police officers responded there. When they got there, they were told about the injuries that were sustained by the child, and then they called us and requested our assistance,” said Motzinger.

The child was transferred to Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, but investigators said she died of severe head injuries Sunday.

“The agents and their investigators interviewed Vilcone, who stated that he was in charge of the child. The child had been crying, (so) he shook the child on three separate occasions, which obviously, led to injuries to the child,” said Motzinger.

According to the complaint, Vilcone told agents that after he shook the child for the final time, she stopped crying and began whimpering.

An autopsy was performed Monday by the Polk County Medical Examiner. DCI agents said while the final results are still pending, it appears that the child died of “abusive head injuries.”

Vilcone is being held at the Mahaska County Jail on $500,000 bond and is expected to appear in court Wednesday.

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